Chris oldham mistakes

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Reasons

WHY VISA APPLICATIONS QUICKLY BECOME TIME, MONEY AND ANXIETY TRAPS

Did you know that in the last few years over 130,000 visa applications have been refused annually?

The law and administrative processes that surround applying for Australian visas can be extremely daunting. Both applicants and businesses alike can easily get lost in the everincreasing change in regulations and associated paperwork.

Taking short cuts, omitting parts of the application process, and not being thorough can immediately disadvantage the application and even delay it for weeks or even months.

Costs escalate, frustrations increase and in the worse case scenario, applicants’ have to return to their home country.

With the tightening of the Australian migration laws, it has never been more critical to ensure visa applications are submitted with the highest level of due diligence and legal compliance!

This booklet has been written to help applicants, migration advisers and businesses avoid the common mistakes that are made when it comes to applying for an Australian visa.

Chris Oldham, Argo Migration

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CONTENTS Visa applications quickly become time, money and anxiety traps. In our experience, this is mainly due to 7 common

mistakes.

MISTAKE 1

Not knowing the rules

Pg 5

MISTAKE 2

Not understanding the process

Pg 7

MISTAKE 3

Accessing the wrong information

Pg 9

MISTAKE 4

Poor planning and preparation

Pg 11

MISTAKE 5

Expectation management

Pg 13

MISTAKE 6

Not seeking help because it’s too expensive

Pg 15

MISTAKE 7

Not taking the application process seriously

Pg 17

ABOUT US

Pg 18

DID YOU KNOW?

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At Argo Migration, it is our job to stay up-to-date with migration law and administration processes.

We take the pain out of the application process by matching the right visa to the right applicant and then, following our five-step process, we due diligently manage the application process from beginning to end.

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MISTAKE 1 Not knowING the Rules Australian immigration law is constantly evolving and very complex, with different requirements for each visa. The Department of Immigration and Border Protection expect applicants to thoroughly understand the application process and keep up-to-date with legal or administration changes. Yet, many applicants jump in and start the process without fully understanding what is required.

Visit www.immi.gov.au daily, to ensure you don’t miss any updates or regulation changes

Use only the www.immi.gov.au, as this is the most accurate and upto-date resource available

Read, Read & Read! You cannot spend enough time to ensure you have every question covered correctly

Engage a specialist Migration Law Firm or Agency to manage this process and application on your behalf

Short cuts are NOT an option

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At Argo Migration, our job is to manage the application process from beginning to end.

We know the what, where, when and how of the visa application process and we know how to overcome discrepancies between the applicants circumstances and the departments guidelines.

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MISTAKE 2 NOT UNDERSTANDING the process While the Department provides current information, the task of gathering and processing this into a logical sequence and planning an efficient resettlement is daunting. If the circumstances of the visa applicant do not match precisely with the guidelines, the Department’s information can have limited applicability and create greater confusion.

Ensure you choose the right visa Understand the process thoroughly and read the fine print

Take the time to understand the guidelines and identify where the departments information has limited applicability Search for migration experts who can provide tailored advice

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Argo Migration’s consultants are registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA). We adhere to the code of conduct and diligently attend professional development courses to ensure our skills and knowledge are up to date.

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MISTAKE 3 accessING the WRONG Information The inherent complexities of immigration means that obtaining free information from the internet or seeking and acting on the advice from friends, family or colleagues, can be fraught with danger. The information gained from these sources can be misguided or incorrect and increases the chances of your application being rejected.

Seek advice from a registered migration agent and specialist legal practitioners who are registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA)

Source assistance that guarantees a high level of ethical and professional standards and advice.

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Argo Migration shows considerable attention to detail and will ensure all documentation is included or being processed prior to the application being submitted to the department.

We circumvent the chances of any application be rejected only because it didn’t have correct supporting evidence.

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MISTAKE 4 POOR planNING AND PREPARATION The first hurdle of any visa application is passing the basic eligibility criteria that must be met before the Department will accept an application for assessment.

Once approved, the Department may give applicants the opportunity to submit any missing information or correct mistakes on the application. In the event further information is required, applicants are given just 28 days to respond and if the information is not received during that time, they will continue to process the application based on the information before them. This can seriously disadvantage the success of the application.

Allow sufficient time to gather the material pertinent to the application.

E.g. Police Checks can take up to 8-12 weeks to be processed in the country of origin and skills assessments can take up to 4 months

Ideally, prepare for all eventualities and include this in the original application to reduce further requests for further information

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At Agro Migration, establishing a “Plan B� is part of our standard procedures. We work hard to ensure applicants’ expectations are managed in a professional manner where all potential scenarios are considered and discussed in details so all parties are happy and understand the highs and lows of applying for a visa in Australia.

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MISTAKE 5 Expectation MANAGEMENT Because the application process is so intense, little thought is put into planning what to do should the application be seriously delayed or rejected. At this time applicant frustrations are exacerbated and tensions rise, so having robust back-up plan is crucial to ensuring expectations are managed throughout the process.

Plan for delays and allocate time in your busy schedule to obtain additional resources to support your application Prepare to seek expert advice immediately should the application be rejected Have a backup visa strategy, for example look at other visa options

Keep a level head at all times, getting angry or frustrated with the process will not make the application clearance process happen any faster.

Getting irate with an employee of the Department may, in fact, hinder your application from being processed in a timely manner

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Argo Migration provide much more to their clients than just filling out application forms.

As your migration agent we work in partnership to deliver a straightforward, transparent migration solution that promises to help you by recommending the most suitable visa for you.

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MISTAKE 6 Not SEEKING help BECAUSE IT’S TOO EXPENSIVE Legal advice is often perceived as being expensive and visa applicants think they would save time and money by completing the application themselves. What they don’t consider is the high cost, both financially and personally, should their application be rejected. Unfortunately, there are no second chances when it comes to immigration.

Shop around. Migration agents take different approaches and have different pricing structures Understand the cost implications should the application be seriously delayed or rejected

Choose a migration agent that has your best interests at heart and genuinely wants to help you relocate to Australia.

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Argo Migration can help you get your visa right the first time. We pride ourselves on a complete understanding of the current regulations and can help you to minimise your exposition to application failure or other aspects such as capping rules.

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MISTAKE 7 NOT TAKING the application process seriously.

Visa applications don’t come with second chances.

Waiting until the last moment to submit an application or incomplete, poorly constructed answers to the sections of an application can give the Department reason to reject or seriously delay the application.

Visa applications take considerable time and resources.

They require considerable due diligence and the collation of accurate and appropriate information to give you the best chance at success.

Understand the processing policy on each individual visa category. The Department publishes average processing times and statistics on capping and queuing on their website. This information should be reviewed and factored into any plan to migrate and the time-line for achieving the goal, set accordingly.

Take the visa application seriously and seek advice

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About Us Typically there are seven common mistakes that people can make when applying for Australian visas. At Argo Migration we are registered migration agents and qualified lawyers. Our credentials are renewed each year subject to having professional indemnity insurance and the completion of continuing legal education and professional development set by the peak bodies that govern our profession. We have the most up-to-date information and experience to help you with your plans to sponsor someone from overseas, visa application or migration strategy.

Not only do we help you to avoid these seven biggest mistakes when applying for an Australian visa, we will be there with you every step of the way, mitigating issues and finding resolutions quickly.

Do not fall into one of the traps that professionals and businesses make when applying for Australian visas. Argo Migration is here to help you avoid these common mistakes with this brief, practical guide. Note however, that this article is not intended to be a replacement for professional advice tailored to meet the specific needs of the individual.

Argo Migration can help you get your visa right the first time.

To ensure that you avoid the common mistakes outlined in this article, contact Argo Migration for an initial consultation.

Telephone: Fax: Email: Skype: Web: Twitter:

1300 785 202 1300 785 919 info@argomigration.com argo.migration www.argomigration.com @ArgoMigration

Migration Agents Registration Number: 1174438 Member of the Migration Institute of Australia Member of Migration Alliance

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1300 785 202

(Australia only)

argo.migration

1300 785 919

(Australia only)

www.argomigration.com

info@argomigration.com

@ArgoMigration